A Call to Delaying Sinners, Treatise (2 of 2)

A Call to Delaying Sinners · Treatise (2 of 2)

p. 62I. Tell me, Are you so young that you may not die? are you so young that you may not be sick? Are you Young Men exempted from Death and the Grave? Have you not observed, that as young as you, and younger too, have gone down to the Grave? Have you not seen little Infants carried to the Grave? Have not you seen Infants laid in the Dust? Have you not seen many times that their is but little difference betwixt the Birth and the Grave? If you doubt of this, go into some Churchyard, and see if you may not find there Graves of all sizes; an Infant was buried here, another young one was buried there, who was not so tall as I; Very well, if you are not so young, but you may die, are you so young then, that you may not make your Peace with God?

II. Are you so young that you may not be damned? Has God any where told you in his Word, that No Young Ones shall go to Hell, those that die in their Youth? Tell me, were not you born in Sin? And are you not by Nature Children of Wrath? And by reason p. 63of that sin in which you were born, are you not liable to the wrath of God, to the Damnation of Hell, and to the Torments of the Damned? Besides, Have not you Young Men many sins of your own commiting, actual Sins? How soon didst thou learn to Lye? How soon did you learn to take God's Holy Name in vain? How soon did you play upon the Lord's Day, and so mispend your precious time? By all these you have deserved Death and Hell too? and if you are not so Young, but you may be Damned, is there any room for you to delay, and not to do what God commands you to do?

III. I pray tell me, Is it fit that you should give the first of your time to the Devil, rather than unto God; for you first to serve the Devil, than next to serve God; to give your Youth unto him that would devour and destroy your Souls, rather than to God, that would save your Souls, and make them happy? Should you give to Satan the first of your time, that deserves none at all? And Sirs, I tell you, that you deserve to be Damned, if you give one hour. Think of it, What would the World think of p. 64you if you deal with your Parents as you deal with the Eternal God? if you should say, Father I will rebel against you while I am Young, I will vex and grieve you whilst Young, but I will be Dutiful to you when I am Old; Will you in effect say worse to God? And say, We will do what the Devil saith to us now, and we will do what God commands us hereafter. Tell me, Who was it that gave you your Being? Who was it that formed you in your Mothers Womb? Who was it that brought you forth? Who was it that preserved you, whilst you hung upon your Mothers Breast? Who is it that kept you from Death and Hell to this day, that might have cast you into utter Darkness, as soon as you beheld the Light of the Sun? Has the Devil done for you, as God has done, or can you expect he shall or will? Lay all these together, then see if it be fitting that you should serve the Devil first.

IV. Tell me, you that are young, Can you be good too soon? Or can you love your God too soon? Or can you mind your Souls too soon? Or can you (think you) be mindful to escape the Damnation of Hell too soon? Can you be too p. 65soon sure of Heaven? Tell me, Would it do thee any harm to know in thy Youth that thy Soul shall be saved? Would it do thee any harm to believe in Christ, to love God above all, and to understand, whenever thou shalt die, that thy Soul should be received to Heaven? Remember this, that there have been many who have been troubled that they did repent too late, but there was never one in this World that ever repented that he repented too soon. Thousands, and Ten Thousands have bewailed that they have staid off from Christ so long.

V. Is not Youth, and Young in Years, the usual time for God to Convert Sinners to his Son? especially, those whom he planteth under the Gospel in the time of their Youth. O you that are set under Preaching, if you are not converted whilst you are young, it is a thousand to one, if ever you are Converted. Pray Sirs consider, Is it usual for God to Convert Old Sinners? I know, God sometimes may call at the Eleventh Hour, but it is but here and there one, now and then one; and commonly they are such as did not sit under the means of p. 66Grace when they were Young; if you delay whilst Young, You may let sli… the very season of Conversion, the … your Souls cannot be brought over t… God by all the Preaching in the World… Do we not amongst our selves observe… that for one Old Person, one Old Sinner… that is made sensible of sin, and of hi… lost estate, though never so vile, tha… does desire the Prayers of a Congregation for them, have we not Twenty, ye… Forty, that are younger, that desir… your Prayers from them?

VI. Will it not be easier for you to … pent now, than it will be hereafter, wh… by long continuance in sin, you have hardned your hearts and seared your Consciences, and have been accustom… to do wickedly? Certainly, now, wh… Conscience is tender, and the Hea… more tender, it will be easier for you … let go your sin now, and to leave your Wickedness now, than it will be Forty Years hence; for the longer you continue in sin, the stronger is Sin upon you, and the stronger your Sin is, the harder your Heart is, and the harder will be your Repentance, as Jeremy speaks, Can the Ethiopian change his sk… p. 67…r the Leopard his spots? Then may ye …hat are accustomed to do Evil, learn to do …ell.

VII. Shall you not prevent a multitude of sins, if you make hast in your Younger Yeats to come to God? whereas if you go on in your Sins, what a Multitude of sins, how many Thousand sins will you add more and more to the sins that you have already committed; …f you loiter still, how many Prayers will you neglect; And how many Sabbaths prophane? And how many lies tell, and make no Conscience? And how many Oaths may some of you swear? Whereas, now if you would come to God in your Youth, if you would now Believe and Repent, and come to God, O what a number of Sins may you prevent the commission of! And is not this desirable? You have sinned enough already, the Youngest amongst you have sinned enough already, you need not go on still, and add more and more to your sins; for they are not to be numbred already

VIII. Consider, Will not this be most pleasing unto God, if you hasten in your Youth to come to God? Early is the p. 68time; O, Christ loves Young Ones indeed, when they will be good. Mark 1… 23, 24. This was a Young man that h… but some common good in him; and it is said, That Christ looked upon him and loved him, Jerem. 2. 2. Says God … Israel, I remember the kindness of thy You… the love of thy Espousal. Ah, God takes it kindly, and Christ takes it kindly when you do believe on Christ, a… leave your sins betimes. O will not y… do that which God and Christ will takes kindly at your hands! then make ha… whilst you are young, and do not s… till you are old. O it is pleasing un… God to see young ones come and Pray… and Believe, to see young ones following after Christ, Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy You… Now tell me, Young Men, Is it not better for you to be pleasing to this blessed God whilst you are young, than to … provoking of him till you are Old. Is it not more pleasing to have his Lo… and Smiles, than to have his Anger and Frowns.

IX. If you make hast whilst you are young, shall not you have the more ti… to serve your God, and glorify you… p. 69Maker? And is not this the End for which thou wert born? Is not this the End for which you were made, that you may glorify him that gave your being unto you? And tell me, Can you begin this Work too soon? Or, Can you do this one thing too much? O young men, think, Will God save you when you die, and will not you serve him whilst you live? Will God glorifie you hereafter in Heaven, and will not you glorifie God whilst you are here upon Earth? Tell me, Do you think you can honour God in a little time, and in Old Age too; as you may in a great deal, beginning from your youth, to your Elder years? I tell you, that Multitudes of good People upon their Death-Beds when they have been going to Heaven, they have been full of Grief upon this Account, That they served God so late, and loved God so late; that are going to Heaven to live with God, and have done no more for God when they were here upon Earth.

X. And Lastly, If you now make hast whilst you are young, shall not you have the more time to do the great Work in your own Souls that is there p. 70to be done? O what a great deal … Work does lie within us? What a great deal of Work does lie upon our Hea… to be done! upon our Souls! Is it n… more likely that you should do more i… Forty years time, than in Five or Ten or the latter end of your days? O how much Knowledge is there to be had … God and of Christ and the great Mystery of the Gospel! You will have more time to get a greater measure of the Love of God and of Jesus Christ; you will have more time to get Assurance … the Love of God and of Eternal Glory, you will have more time to make your preparation for Death, and the great Account that you have to give unto God after Death. Now take these. Ten things along with you, and then see, if there b… any room or reason for you to delay though young, but make all the ha… you can to do that God commands, That is the first Sort.

2 The Sort. that I would urge this upon, is, you that are Old, You Old Sinners, consider the Work that you have to do

I. Of all, you that are old, O make hast? for your time is almost gone, your p. 71Glass is almost run, your Sun is near to setting; in a Course of Nature you have not much time to live. Behold! …ook upon your gray Hairs, and they will tell you, that you are going off the Stage of this World, and are entring into another World. The Age of Man, that the most do reach ordinarily, is Threescore and Ten, Psal. 90. 10. The Age of Man is Treescore Years and Ten. O is there not some in this place that have not outlived the usual time? Are not some of you Threescore Years and upward? Are not some of you Seventy Years and more? O how near, how very near are you to another World! You are almost at your Journeys end. What, and sit still when you are almost at your Journeys end! Some of you are old almost to a wonder. When a person begins to be going onwards to Eighty, People commonly wonder at their Age. What art thou such a one, yet delaying? Art thou Old to a wonder, and Wicked to a wonder too? O consider, it is but a little, while that you have to stay in this World; make hast therefore, and do not delay.

p. 72II. You that are old make hast; for some of you have not yet begun your Work: What! and delay still, and … idle still! What do you mean? How many old ones are there here, that ha… not spent one hour in Threescore Yea… in hearty serving of God; I do not … you heve not spent an hour in Heari… and in Praying; but some of you possibly have not spent one hour in hear… serving of God; which you that are in … Natural State and Condition never di… O what are you, Sirs, that are old, an… never convinced of sin to this day, th… are Fifty, Sixty, yea Seventy Years old, a… yet strangers to the very first Principl… of Religion! Oh how sad is it to … gray Hairs and Ignorance! I have se… a Child of Five or Six Years old th… hath known more of God and of Ch… than many that I have seen of fifty or sixty; and yet these People sit still? Sirs, a… you resolv'd indeed to go thus to yo… Grave? Are you resolv'd indeed to d… and to be Damn'd too? To see old people to be careless of God, and careless of the Souls, negligent and slothful, what shame is it? Age has forced thee to le… upon thy Staff, but it has not force p. 73thee to lean upon thy Saviour. How may we say of some, wondrous Old, and wondrous Wicked; wondrous Old, and wondrous Ignorant; Have every one of you that are Old, fifty or sixty Years Old, got Christ into your Hearts? Would to God you had, I wish you had: Have every one of you repented of Sin? O consider, Sirs, What a thing is this, to live Fifty Years, yet be without God? to loiter Sixty Years, and never come to God; to live till you come to that state in which Nature is almost Consumed yet no Faith? May not some of you say, That you have not shed one Penitent Tear for all your sins, no, not in Fifty Years time; but you that are in Years, and have begun your work, yet there is Reason, why you should make hast to do more, and to go forward, and make a greater progress still; Thou that hast loved God and believed on Christ, tell me, Dost thou think in thy very Conscience, that thou hast so much love to God, as thou mightest have had in Fifty Years stan…ing! o Alas no, who has? If so be, that you have not got … much Grace as you should have done … so much time, and as you should have p. 74done by the help of so much means … you have had in so many Years. … make hast and do not delay! Wh… think you, Sirs, you that are of Year… you that I may call my Father for Ag… what think you, are there not some th… are Twenty Years younger than yo… Forty Years younger than you, that lo… God, and fear God, and hate Sin mo… than you do? Is not this a sign that yo… have loytered too much? O therefor… make hast and delay no longer.

III. You that are Ancient, ma… hast, and delay not; for have not y… lost time enough already, but you m… lose more still? Have not you served … Devil long enough, and served your L… long enough, Have not you forgotten God long enough, and neglected Christ… Heaven, and your Souls, long enough already; but you will do it still, and will you proceed, and will you do… till you die? What do you mean, Sir… you old Swearers, and you old Drunkards, and old Sabbath breakers, yo… old haters of God and Godliness? Wh… do you mean, do you mean to Rebel … your Dying-day? Do it a little long… and you will do so: Do you mean … p. 75give the Devil all your time, and all your strength? You that have lived Threescore Years, I fear should you live the other Threescore Years, you would do so still; you that have lived Fifty Years, I fear, should you live Fifty years longer, you would still be the same. Sinner, Art thou resolv'd to go to thy Grave without Christ, without a Heart …hanged? If thou dost, shalt not thou go to Hell too, and to Devils too? What you do, it must be done quickly, …r else it will never be done: for you will die before it be done. For shame, Sirs, for shame, love God after so long time, for shame, Sirs, for shame, love Jesus Christ, after so long time: Have …ot you seen a great Deformity in Sin, after so much time that you have spent … Sin.

IV. You that are old, make hast and do not delay; for if you die Old, and Christless too, if you die Old and Graceless too, the Patience of God that has waited upon you till your Old Age, will aggravate your Sin, and your Condemnation too; I tell you, Sirs, that such of you had better to have died in your Childhood, than to have lived to p. 76Old Age; you had better have died as soon as you had been born, than to have lived so long, and go to Hell at last you had better have died when you could not go, by reason of Infancy, that to live till you could not go, by reason of Age, and die out of Christ at la… if thou diest Old and Wicked, old … thy sin, Hell will be the hotter whe… thou comest there, though it be the longer till thou comest there; Will you yet delay? O you that are Ancient, I pray you make hast, and delay no longer.

V. And lastly, I pray you make h… and delay no longer, for, I pray tell m… Can you give an account of your m… spent time already? You shall certainly be called to an Account for every Year you have had, for every Month you have had, for every Week, Day and Hour that you have had; Time … going and you must be called to an Account how you have spent your time. Can you give an Account to God of Fifty Years spent in Ignorance, not knowing of God? Can you give an Account to God of Threescore Years spent in a Natural Estate, in which is nothing of God nor ever did one hearty Duty to G… p. 77in all this time! O you that are Young, for you are my hopes! I profess that I have more hope of you, than of those that are Old and Wicked. I take it to be my great advantage, that I Preach to so many that are young; think of what has been said to you, and what has been spoken to you, and when you come home, consider, you have heard Ten Things, that there is no room for loytering; and you that are Old things, if you are not past feeling. O would to God you were not! This is the Mischief, when People are young, then they think it is too soon; and when they are old, then they say, they have been of this Opinion ever since they were born, and change now they will not. Well, think what you will, change you must, or you must be Condemned. You would think it much to wait upon a Fellow-Creature a Day, or Week; yet this Blessed God has waited upon you so many Years, O make hast and come unto God, and do not delay any longer.

III. Then to you that are of a strong and a healthful Constitution, do you make hast and not delay to do what God commands you, though you are p. 78strong and healthful, yet make hast and do not delay; you have need of this Advice, because being strong, and in perfect health, you are apt to put away the day of Death from you, and Repentance too, and Christ too; and the making of your Peace with God, because you are not full of Pain, and God does not often cast you upon Beds of Sickness, therefore you think there is no need for you to make hast.

First of all, As strong and as stout … thou thinkest thou art, many have been cut off in a Weeks time, and less; therefore do thou make hast; as strong … … thou art, when Death comes it w… make thee cry out, O I am Sick, I am Sick; I am Pained, I am Pained! O I will make thee to Tremble: You see… often times that Crazy Persons … out-live those that are of a Healthful Constitution; therefore do not venture your Souls Eternal State upon it, because you are strong.

II. Tell me, Who is it that give thee thy strength? Is it God, or Satan If it be God that gave thee thy strength… What a dissingenious Sinner art thou … God, that because God does not fill th… p. 79Body with pain, therefore thou wilt fill thy Body with sin? What does God give thee Health for, and give thee Strength for? Does God make thee strong, that thou mayest be strong to sin, and spend thy days in sinning against him?

III. Consider, which is the fittest time for you to Repent, and to make your Peace with God, now when you are well and strong, or when you shall be sick and near Death? Alas! How oft have I seen People on their sick-Beds unfit to be discoursed with, that put off their Repentance till the last, till they were fick; then sickness brought its Burthen with it, its Excessive Pain with it, that they had no mind to Discourse of any such Things. That is the Third Sort, to those that are strong.

IV. My Exhortation also is to such of you as are sickly and of a weak Temper, that are often sick, and often ill. It is time for you to make hast, that live in daily expectation of another World, that daily look for your last Day, and when your laft Hour will come, and when you shall draw your last Breath. How oft has God shaked p. 80thee over the Grave? How oft hast thou been in that case upon thy sick bed, that Men could not tell, whither thou shouldst Live, or Die? And now God has restored thee, yet thou art weak still and sick still. Is it not time for you to make hast? Behold! The Voice of every Sickness is, Sinner, make hast; The Voice of every Affliction is, Sinner, make hast.

V. And Lastly, My Advice is to such as have been Sick, and now are Recovered; do you make hast and not delay to do what God has commanded you to do: Will you sin again as you did before? Will you slight Christ, again, as you did before? and neglect Heaven, and God and Christ as before? Sinner, Did God give thee thy Life again, that thou shouldest rebel against thy Makes again? Hast thou forgot how thy Soul was filled with amazement and horror when thou thoughtest thy Soul was so near to another World? How didst thou beg, and cry, and call, O that God would restore me this once! O that God would give me a little more time! O if God would recover me, I will become a new Man, I will forsake my sinful Companions, I will p. 81neglect Prayer no more, I will prophane God's Holy Day no more! These were thy Promises; God has restored thee again, and hast thou so soon forgot what thou didst Promise unto God, and dost thou delay as much as before? O consider, and for God's sake lay it to Heart. Didst thou tell a Lye to God, when upon thy sick Bed: and didst thou play the Hypocrite with God, when thou didst not know whether thou shouldst live or dye? Therefore, you that have been upon the brink of the Grave, and God bid thee look into Eternity, and thou sawest thou wast not prepared, thou beggest a little longer time, and God spared thee, therefore now make hast.

Now it may be thought, that I have said enough upon this Subject; but, alas, I think have never said enough upon any Subject, till I have gained your Hearts to do what I have Preached upon; when I consider, how slothful many Men are, how backward to come to God and Christ, how backward to Believe, to Repent, and be Holy, I think that there is Reason enough to consider still, what more is to be said, to press you to make hast, and I beseech you p. 82to Answer these following Questions, and let Conscience answer as we … along.

First of all, Tell me, Sinner, Who … it that does wait upon thee, while thou dost dely? Is it not the Blessed, and Glorious, and Eternal God? Is it n… he that the Angels of Glory make … possible speed to do his commands? … it not he, sinner, that might have Danmed thee long ago, and cast thee dow… into Eternal Torments, and thou mightest this day have been among Damned Devil? Dost thou do well to make h… tarry for thee? Is it not he that Did for thee, that is infinite in Mercy to say thee, if thou comest in; that is Infinite in Power to Damn thee, if thou refuse? Is it not he, that is infinitely thy Superiour Judge? Now, if it be reason … thee to loyter any longer, do if thou darest; do, I say, at thy Peril.

Secondly, Who, or what art thou Trifler, that this Blessed God should wait thus upon thee? If we consider thee, as thou art a Creature, or as thou art a Sinner, Why should God so w… upon thee one year after another? … thou art a Creature, Is not thy Body p. 83made of dust, and must not thy Body e're long be turned into dust? What art thou, but the better sort of Clay? Dost not thou carry every day a very Dunghill about thee, and must the Blessed God wait upon thee? Besides, if we consider thee, as thou art a Sinner; Art not thou a Hell deserving Sinnor! May not God cast thee this day into Hell if he will, and into Torments, even this very hour if he will? Canst thou be happy without his Favour, and enter into Heaven without his Son, and be saved without his Mercy? Therefore delay any longer at thy Peril.

Thirdly, What is it for, that this God thus waits upon thee? Consider I pray you, What does God give you so much time for, one Week after another, one Month after another, Year after year? Is it not to make your selves Rich in this World? O no, it is about a greater Matter that God waits and stays? Is it not to see if thou wilt mind thy escaping Eternal Damnation! God gives thee thy time for this, that thou mayest escape an Eternity of Torment: Is it not for this that God waits, think you

p. 842. That God stays so long, Is it not that thou mayest mind the Everlasting Salvation of thy Soul in Glory, that thou mayst get a Title to his Kingdom, that thou mayst get an Interest in his Son, that thou mayst hereafter dwell with him, with his Son, and with his Spirit with his Angels and Saints, when thou shalt be taken out of this World.

3. Is it not that God stays, that thou mayst be Justified, Sanctified, and Pardoned? O Sinner, if God had not stay'd for this, he might have Sentenced the… down to Eternal Torments, many years ago.

4. Is it not that God does stay, that o… a Captive to Satan, and to Sin, thou mayst be made free?

5. That thou mayst be cured of thy Soul-distemper, and of those sin… Maladies that are upon thy Soul; Is … not for this, I say for this, that God waits upon thee.

IV. Tell me, who shall have the worse of it, or who shall be the Sufferer if thou still delayest and dost not make hast to Repent, Believe and be Holy? Or who will be the better, if that thou make hast to be Holy and Repent? Whose will p. 85the Profit be, and the Advantage be? If thou dost not, Will not the harm be thy own, and will not the wrong be thy own? Sinner, dost thou think that God thus waits upon thee, because he cannot be happy without thee? Flatter not thy self with this; for this God was happy before thou wast, and if thou art Damned, this God will be infinitely happy and blessed without thee, Job. 22. v. 2. 3. Can a Man be profitable to God, as he that is Wise, is profitable to himself: Is it any Pleasure to the Almighty that thou art Blessed or is it any gain that thou makest thy self happy? Job. 35. 6, 7, 8. If thou sinnest, What dost thou against him? Or if thy transgressions be Multiplied, What dost thou to him? Or if thou art Righteous, What dost thou give unto him? Thy Ʋnrighteousness may prejudice a Man as thou art, and thy Righteousness may profit him. It is a matter of Admiration, that the Blessed God should so long wait upon Sinners, or that the foolish Sinner should so long delay to come to God.

V. Tell me, is it not life and death that is the issue of thy loitering or making hast, yet wilt thou loiter and delay, in respect of Eternal Life and Eternal Death too? p. 86If Men will make hast in any thing i… will be where their lives are concerned, then they think it is time for them to make hast; there is no room for loitering then: When thou art sick, how dost thou expect that all about thee should make hast? One maketh hast and runs to the Physician, another maketh hast and runs to the Chirurgeon, another maketh hast and runs to the Apothecary. O make hast Sinner, thy Soul is in danger, thy Eternal Soul is in danger! Dost not thou know, Sinner, if thou makest hast and comest to Christ, thou shalt have a Life, a Life of Grace, and that is the sweetest Life, the safest Life, the surest Life, the highest, and the noblest Life, the durablest and the most lasting Life; such a Life thou shalt have, if thou wilt make hast to Repent and Believe and at last a Life of Glory, to Live with God, to Live with Christ, to Live with Angels and Saints; but on the contrary; if thou delayest, Death will be thy Portion, Damnation will be thy Portion. And yet wilt thou delay? Do it at thy Peril.

VI. Art thou sure Sinner, or dost thou know that God will wait upon thee one Year, or one Month, or one p. 87Week more? How dost thou know but that this may be the very last hour or day, that God will tarry for thy Repentance? It may be God will say, I will wait upon thee Sinner no more, I will not stay one Sabbath more, I will not stay the other Sermon, if he refufeth me now. I will hearken to him no more: As he wickedly said, 2 King. 6. 33. Behold this Evil is of the Lord, what should I wait upon the Lord any longer? This God may say, This Sinner goes on in his sin still, in the hardness of his Heart still, in his refusing of my Son still, What shall I wait for him any longer?

VII. Tell me, and let Conscience judge and let but Reason speak and give the Answer, Hast thou not spent time enough in Sin already, and yet wilt thou make no hast to leave thy Sin? Tell me, Sinner, is the Devil's Work so good, and his Wages so desireable, and is the Devil so kind a Master to thee, that thou art so loth to leave his Service, and to come away from the Service of thy Sin, to the Service of God? Poor Sinner! what did the Devil ever do for thee, or ever give unto thee, thou art so loth to let his Service go? If I ask thee, What is thy Name? How long since thou wast born? How old art thou? One may say p. 88Sixteen, another Twenty, another Thirty, it may be some Threescore, What and graceless still! Out of Christ still. Is not Thirty, Forty, Threescore Years a great while to live in danger of Hell, You Young Men, when you have served your Seven Years time, you expect to be made Free, and will you live twice Seven, three times Seven, five times Seven, in the service of the Devil, and think it not time now to be made Free? O think, Have I served sin twenty years, forty years, and is not that long enough of all Reason? Ay, long enough beyond all reason? Ay Sirs, how long will it be before you turn? God thinks the time long and Christ thinks the time long, and the Spirit of God thinks the time long, and Ministers think the time long, and all your godly Friends, your godly Relations would fain have your Souls Converted, and Saved, Prov. 1. See there, how Christ thinks it long till you come to him, v. 21, 22. Wisdom (that is) Christ cryeth out in the chief places, in the opening of the Gates of the City, How long ye simple ones will ye love your Simplicity, and Fools hate Knowledge, &c. Psal. 4. 2. O ye Sons of Men, How long will ye turn my Glory into p. 89shame? Jer. 30. Wo to thee, O Jerusalem wilt not thou be made clean, when will it once be? So God says to thee; Wo to thee thou Drunkard, thou Swearer, thou Ʋnclean Wretch; wilt not thou be made clean, when will it once be?

VIII. Hast not thou committed Sins enough already? Hast not thou Drunkenness enough to answer for already. …ut thou wilt go on still, and commit sins still? Tell me, thou that art a Swearer, hast not thou sworn oaths enough already Hast not thou sworn so many in a Day, so many in an Hour, for so many Years, and hast not thou sworn enough yet? Is it not time for thee to leave thy Swearing? You that have neglected Prayer in your Closet, and in your Families? Have you not neglected things that should have been done? Have you not been guilty of Omission? You that have been Profaners of Sabbaths, that go faster to Hell on a Sabbath day than all the Week else? Is not a hundred, a thousand Sabbaths enough for thee to Profane?

IX. Seriously weigh, and then tell me, …s not the deserved Punishment of thy sin, that is due to thee already, great enough, yet wilt thou make no more p. 90hast? What dost thou think, will t… Pains of Hell be easie Pains, and t… Torments of Hell be easie Torment… Dost thou think, that the sins that th… hast committed, will not sink thee de… enough into Hell, and low enough? … not, then go on still. But alas, poor sinner, stay, for if the least sin should be inflicted upon thy Soul, it will make th… cry out and roar, it will make th… cry I am undone, undone, it will ma… thee knash thy Teeth, and tear thy Fle… Will one Sin do this? What … then all these sins thou hast committed?

X. And Lastly, Tell me, have … Multitudes and Thousands been damned already for delaying, and wilt thou l… ter still? Wilt not thou take all th… Damnation for a warning? How many Thousands are at this very time, S… while I am Preaching and you Hearing in blackness and thickness of Darkness, thou could you speak with them, you shold hear them say, O it was our wretched delaying that did undo us; we purposed to repent but did not; we purposed to go to Christ; a… to leave our Sins; but woe be to us, Death ever before that time, and we were damned before that time: Death came and drew us ou… p. 91the World, and Devils came and dragg'd us down to hell before that purposed time of Repentance came; and here we lie in a Lake of Burning Brimstone, roaring and crying out and are undone. Now, Sirs, Have so many Thousands been Damned for their delaying, and will you delay still? Do it at your Peril. Now, if I did think that there was never a loitering Sinner among you, I would for bear, and go upon some other Subject; but the Lord knows, I am afraid of you; and I have a godly Jealousie over many of you, therefore I will try again, and so conclude this Text: Has all that has been said from Sabbath to Sabbath, made you now to resolve to forsake your sins, and give up your Heart and all to God, and to Jesus Christ? Oh that I had grounds to Judge so of you! But I doubt there is one, and another, and another, and many more, that their hearts are hankering after sin still. I will …ry you yet once more; I did propose Ten Questions to the delaying sinner; …f thou hast slighted them, yet hearken sinner again; I will propose Ten Questions to thee more, and wilt thou …ight these too, and say thou wilt do as thou hast done, and live as thou hast liv'd?

p. 92First of all, Tell me, poor trifling Sinner, tell me, Dost thou purpose … thy Heart to obey God at all, or dost thou not? Dost thou intend to do t… Duty that God enjoyns thee to do, … dost thou not? Say in thy Heart, Ay… No. I am content to stay till thou weighest the Question; but I think it is a Qustion that is so plain, that there is not Man that dares to have the Face to sa… that he does not purpose to turn to G… Well then. Is it thy purpose to Rep… of sin, and turn to God, or is it not? I… be not so much as thy purpose, the … of Heaven pity thee, and shew mercy … thee before it is too late. For, art … thou a Wretch indeed, that hast not … much as a purpose in thy Heart to t… to God; if thou saist, Yes, I do purp… to do what God commands; then, … me, Why dost thou purpose? Thou … a Rational Creature, Why dost thou purpose to obey God, and forsake thy Sin? Is it because thou judgest this to be t… safest course? Is it because thou thinke… thou must be Damned if thou dost no… Is it because thou thinkest thou canst … be saved? Is it because that God comma… thee? Are these thy Reasons? Then behold! p. 93All the while that thou dost delay, thou art sinning against thy Conscience and thy Reason: For, thy Conscience tells thee, it is thy safest way to forsake thy sin, and to look after Christ. Well, if it be so, that it be best to leave thy sin, and turn to God, Why then dost not thou do it? If it be not best, why dost thou purpose to do it?

Secondly, Art thou purposed to do what God commands, to obey what he enjoyns? What is it that thou stayest for, and dost not do it then? Dost thou …ay, Sinner, to see if God will make new Laws for thee? Dost thou stay to see if God will chalk thee out a more easie way to Heaven, and Salvation, than he has done already in his Word? Dost thou stay to see if God will make such Laws as shall be pleasing to thee, that thou maist keep thy Sins and go to Heaven too? Flatter not thy self, he will never do it; If thou stayst forty Years longer, the Laws of God will be the same then, as now, the Commands of God will be the same then, as now. If thou stayest Forty Years longer, thou must Repent at last, or thou must be damned at last; thou must believe at last, or thou must go to p. 94Hell at last: It is the same way that we are saved now, that Adam was saved … and that Noah, Abraham, David, and Moses, and the Apostles, and all that are i… Heaven were saved by, that is the way … Holiness, and the way of Faith in Chr… Obedience to the Commandments … God, being sanctified, loving God abo… all. You must not think to dally w… God, as with Men in the Market; In t… Morning you will not buy, nor at No… putting it off till Evening, thinking th… that the Prices will fall towards the c… of the Market. O do not think that G… will come to lower Terms at the end of the World, or towards the end of the Life. You may see, that God has prescrib'd the same all along, Isaiah 53. 7, … Let the Wicked forsake his way. Prov. 2… 13. He that covereth his sins shall not pr… sper; but he that forsaketh his Sins shall fi… Mercy. See, there must be a forsaking of Sin, according to the old way of Salvation, Ezekiel 18. 31. Cast away all you… Transgressions, and turn from your Sins… so Iniquity shall not be your Ruine. S… in Christ's time, Matthew 3. 8, 9… John 3. 16. So in the Apostles time 1 Corinth. 6. 9, 10, 11. So it is still p. 95and so it will be to the end of this World.

Thirdly, Consider this too, and let thy Conscience reply whether thou dost well or no. Tell me, while thou dost delay, dost not thou do worse with the Blessed God, than thou dost with Damned Devils? I say, deal worse with God. Do you loiter thus when the Devil calls? Do you delay thus, when the Devil Tempts you; Hast not thou the very same day that the Temptation has been laid before thee, yielded unto it without delay, and hearkned to the Voice of the Tempter? When …dst thou say to the Devil, as thou hast …id to God a hundred times, not yet; …f God has called thee to Repent, thou hast said in thy Heart, not yet? God has …lled thee to Believe, thou hast said, not yet, Lord; God has called thee to …elieve on Christ, thou hast said, not …t Lord; but when did the Devil call thee, and tempt the to Sin, and thou saidst, not yet?

Fourthly, Tell me, you that do deny, and do not Repent, yet tell me, would you be served so by yours, by …ose that you have a power to Command? p. 96And will you deal worse wi… God, than you would have others to d… with you? You Fathers and Mothers, … you command your Children to … something for you quickly, would y… take it well, if they should say, I will n… do it yet this Twelve Months, yet th… Ten Years? If you that are Master … command a Servant to do somethin… and suppose the lawfulness of the thin… would you be contented, if he should … I will do it when I please, but not yet! … know your Hearts would rise, yo… Passions would be up. Ah Sinner, w… not God a patient God, would he ha… born this at thy hands? If God we… not a patient God, would he have suffered his Creatures to abuse him thu… Consider with me here Three Things.

1. The Distance betwixt you, a… your Children; you, and your Servant… is not so great, as betwixt God … you; no, not by a thousand degree… No, it is not to be compared, a God … thy Maker, God is infinitely above the… thou art not so much above a crawlin… Worm under thy Foot, as God is above thee; thou canst not bear the delay … thy Children and Servants and yet wi… thou deal thus with God?

p. 972. Their dependance is not so much upon thee, as thine is upon God; thy Servants have their Food from thee, but thou hast thy Being, thy Life, and all from God.

3. Consider, That the Work that God commands thee for to do? it is infinitely better than the Work that thou commandest thy Children or thy Servants to do. Suppose thou settest thy Servants about the Work of thy Calling, Is this to be compared with Everlasting Works? If the Work be never …o mean that you put your Servants to, and bid them do it quickly, if they do not do it, you are Angry; if thou biddest him but cleanse thy Shoes, if he does not do it, thou art Angry. Behold! The Blessed God commands thee, to look after the cleansing of thy Soul, and the cleansing of thy Heart, the getting of an interest in Christ; and wilt thou be Angry if thy Servant will not do for thee, and wilt thou delay doing for God?

Fifthly, Tell me, delaying Sinner, Tell me, in all Cases that concern thee in p. 98this World, Art not thou for the present time? If thou art sick, wouldst not thou be presently well? If in Pain, wouldest thou not have present ease? When thou art Sick, if it be told thee that thou canst not have ease this Twelve Months, or Three or Four Months, yet, would not this be tedious for thee to Consider? Tell me, Art not thou for Riches presently? Wouldst not thou be quickly Rich? Wouldst not thou have a great deal of the World… thou carest not how soon? Or if thou wast in danger of Death, or of th… Grave, how soon wouldst thou be helped, or delivered? And though thou a… in Danger of Hell, thou makest no hast to be delivered. Thou blind Fool, th… blind Sinner, Is not God, and Heaven, and Christ, better than all the Riches … the World? And is not Hell mo… dreadful than the Grave? And art th… so eager after Riches, and not after Heaven? Do it at thy Peril.

VI. Tell me, By these Delays dost not thou put the greatest Work that thou hast to do, upon the greatest hazard i… p. 99the World? What hast thou to do in this World more then to make thy Peace with God, to prepare for Death and Judgment? What to do in this World more than to get off the guilt of Sin, to get a holy Heart? And yet to delay! Thou dost put all to a Hazard. Methinks your delaying to do what God commands, it is a putting of things to a venture, it is a putting your Salvation to a venture, it is a putting of your Damnation to a venture, it is a putting the Loss of God, and of Christ to a venture. Methinks it is as if the Sinner should say, As yet, I will not obey the Commandments of God, and I will put it to a venture, what the Issue will be; I will not as yet look after God, and Christ, and Heaven, and venture what will become of it. Alas, poor Sinner! Hast not thou any thing else to make a venture of?

Seventhly, Whist thou dost thus delay, tell me, Do not these Delays prove …o thy Face, that thou lovest thy Sin better than God, that thou lovest thy Lust better than the God of Glory? p. 100Thou saist, No, I do not: No, Why then dost thou not forsake thy Sin, … thou dost not love it? Why then dost not thou let it go, when God commands? If thou dost not leave thy Drunkenness, and thy Uncleanness, and thy Wickedness, thou shalt not enter into Heaven. Why then dost not thou le… it go? If thou lovest Christ indeed, why then dost not thou receive Christ into thy Heart? Wilt thou pretend th… thou lovest Christ, when thou wilt n… have him come under the Roof of t… Heart?

Eighthly, Tell me, Are not delays … these Cases, Arguments of great Folly? And is it not a sign of greatest Wisdom for a Man (in such Cases as these ar… to make the greatest hast? Is not a Madman, or a Fool, that minde… Toyes or Trifles when he is in danger of losing his Life? Sirs, Are not y… worse when you mind the Toys … Pleasures below, when you are in danger of losing Souls.

There are Five Arguments to pro… a Wise Man.

p. 1011. That he be one that maketh choice of the best good.

2. That he be one that taketh care of the best part.

3. That he be one that walketh in the best way.

4. That he be one that useth the best Means

5. That he be one that doth all these.

This is the Wise Man, Behold, God is the best good, thy Soul is the best part, the way of Holiness is the best way, means appointed by God to get to Heaven, are the only means. But on the contrary, to neglect these it is a sign of the greatest Folly: Wilt thou do it still? Venture on at thy Peril.

Ninthly, Tell me, Do not the Delays of People greatly discourage the Faithful Ministers of the Gospel? Does not your delaying weaken our Hands, and discourage our Hearts, when we must Study for you, and Pray for you, and Preach to you, and you cast it again p. 102in our Faces? Do you think that we can Preach with Life, when we see no Fruit of our Works? I profess, were it not for some of you, you would even tempt me to Preach no more to you, were it not the Command of God to continue my duty. You see, Isa. 49. 4. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, and have spent my strength for nought, and in vain; When he could not see the fruit of his Preaching. So Ministers may say, Lord, we have laboured in vain, and have spent our strength for nought, and in vain. Jerem. 20. 8, 9. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried Violence and Spoil, because the Word of the Lord was made a Reproach unto me: Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his Name. And by your delaying, when we come Year after Year, and Preach Month after Month, and see many of you in your Sins still, and walk in your wicked ways; Do you think that this is not a great Discouragement unto Ministers? And do you think, that God will not lay this to your Charge, to weaken the hands of his Servants? Do it at your Peril.

p. 103Tenthly, and Lastly, Dost not thou think, O delaying Trifler! Dost not thou know, that every thing that thou settest thy Heart upon, is hastening from thee, and every thing thou lovest is hastening away, and yet, wilt not thou make hast to get something that thou maist need, when all that now thou lovest will leave thee? Sinner, Dost not thou know, that thy time is a going, thy Health is a going, and that thy Life is a going; and yet wilt not thou make hast? Know, I say,, know if thou dost not hasten unto Christ the sooner, without delay, thou shalt e're long be Damned without delay.

Thus you see, I have given you Ten Questions more; Has this done the Work? Are you now resolved to go home, and enter into Covenant to be the Lord's? Are you now resolved to forsake your Sins, and to let go your Iniquities? I doubt you are not; some of you will keep your Sins still, and will not come to God. Possibly, there are Two Things secret in thy Heart, let me remove these that bear thee up in thy p. 104delay. Possibly thou thinkest, Why Sir, why such hast? Is not God a merciful God, a long-suffering God? Is not God ready to forgive, and has he not promised so to do? And if I repent hereafter, God will Pardon me hereafter? Why such hast then? I answer.

I. It is true, Sinner, that God is a merciful God, else Woe would have been thy Case long ago. It is true, God is a Patient God, a long-suffering God, else thou wouldst not have been hearing of a Sermon now, but have been amongst Devils and Damned Souls at this time: But what if it be so, and thou miserable But I Answer partieularly: Tell me,

First, Art thou sure that thou shalt see that time, when thou dost purpose to Repent? If so be that the Devil, of thine own Heart would delude thee, now thou art young, to Repent when thou art a Man, Art thou sure to live till thou become a man? If not, where will thy Soul be then? Is it not then better to Repent now without delay?

p. 105Secondly, Art thou sure to have the same means of Grace then as now?

Thirdly, Art thou sure, that the Spirit of God will strive upon thy Heart, and move upon thy Heart then, as now he does? If thou art not sure, be not deleived; for though God be patient, yet he may cut in two the Thread of thy Life, before thou seest those days wherein thou purposedst to Repent.

Fourthly, I suppose all to be true, that thou mayst live longer, and thou mayst Repent at last, and God Pardon thy Sin at last? What then? Is this thy Ingenuity, to Sin against God now, because thou hopest that God will be gracious and Merciful to thee hereafter? I thought, thou hadst been a more Ingenuous Person: Wouldst thou deal thus with a Friend, with a Man? But you say, What need such hast? Some Repent at the Eleventh Hour; all do not Repent while Young. To this I Answer.

II. If some are then brought in, yet it is not all that do stand out till then? p. 106No, it is but very few; it is a very rare thing to see Persons Converted, and brought home to Christ at the Eleventh Hour. Sometimes God may do this, and truely, it is but sometimes. Pray, how many is it that you know, that were Converted when they were Old, and sate under the Means of Grace while they were Young? I suppose you can tell but of very few. It is but now and then, and wilt thou put it to a Hazard, whether God will make thee such an Example? I could never find it Recorded in the Scripture, but of one Man, that was Converted at last, and that was the Thief upon the Cross? I do not say, there was no more, but no more Recorded, Matth. 20. 6, 7. You Object, that some came in at the Eleventh Hour; I pray view that Scripture, that is, Those that came in at the Eleventh Hour, they were not Called till the Eleventh Hour; Those that were Called the Third hour, came in the Third Hour; And those that were Called the Sixth hour, came in the Sixth hour; and those that were Called the Ninth hour, came in the Ninth hour; p. 107but those that came in at the Eleventh hour, they were not called at the Third, nor Sixth, nor Ninth, but at the Eleventh hour. Now, what is this to you, that have been Called an Hundred Times over, that have had Call after Call, and Invitation after Invitation? For when Men are called at the Third and Sixth Hours, and do not come in, they seldom come in at the Eleventh Hour. What say you, beloved Hearers, shall I, after these Sermons, and after almost an hundred things spoken to you, and all to this purpose, to press you to make hast, and not delay, shall I go away from your Presence and your Sight, and will you turn your back upon God, and say, Yet a little longer, yet I must enjoy my Pleasure, yet I must mind the World: As if you had no room in your Hearts for God and Christ, or the things above? I would fain prevail; if I could but prevail with some upon this one Subject, whatsoever I should Preach upon, I should have the greater hopes to speed upon those Subjects too. Consider then a little more to move you. p. 108First of all, If thou wouldst make hast and now keep God's Commandments thou shouldest be Blessed now, thou shouldest be happy now, and will not this make you to make hast? Tell me, Sirs, Have you a mind to go home Happy, to go home with the Love of God? Oh! If you would go home Happy, Men and Women make hast, delay no longer to keep the Commandments of your God. Christ himself pronounceth you Blessed, if you will but do this Luke 11. 27, 28. It came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain Woman of the company lift up her Voice to him (that is, to Christ) Blessed is the Womb that bare thee, and the Pap that gave thee Suck. Ah says she, What a Blessed Woman was that, which bore this Man! But says Christ, Yea, rather blessed are they which hear the Word of God and keep it; that hear God's Commands, and keep them.

Secondly, This keeping of God's Commandments, would be an Evidence to you of your Love to God? Wouldest thou know that thou lovest God Wouldest thou hnow this? Then do p. 109what God Commands: Keep his Commandments, Obey his Precepts, hereby thou maist know, that thou lovest him, John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, 1 John 5. 3, 4. This is the Love of God, that we keep his Commandments. Loving of Christ's Person, and keeping of Christ's Commandments, they usually go together. In the Second, Those that love me, and keep my Commandments.

Thirdly, If you will but make hast to keep Gods Commandmants, and Believe when he Commands, and close with Christ when he Commands, God will make hast, and hear thy Prayer? when thou pourest out thy Prayer to God, O Lord make hast, and do not tarry; then God will make hast, and hear thy Prayer. Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his Commandments, by doing those things that are pleasing in his sight, Prov. 1. 24, 28. Because I have called, and ye have refused. Remember me, Sirs, that if you lie a dying, and should call to God for Mercy upon a Death-Bed; if you should lie p. 110a dying, when your Soul is departing, should call to God to save it, yet he would not hear your Prayer: If you neglect to keep the Commandments of God, and for God to neglect to hear the Prayers of a dying Man, What a dreadful case is this?

Fourthly, If you make hast to keep the Commandments of God, he will make hast actually to keep thee when in Trouble and Temptation. Sirs, if You would make hast to keep the Commandments of God, God would make hast, and would not stay beyond that Hour that Deliverance should be for thy good.

Fifthly, If you would make hast to keep God's Commandments, it would be the readiest way that you could do, to have a Blessing upon your outward Enjoyments, Lev. 26. throughout.

Lastly, If thou wilt do this, thou shall be saved when thou diest; What dost thou desire more? John 1. Verily, Verily, I say unto you, if any Man keep my Sayings, p. 111he shall never see death: That is, he shall never see Eternal Death, he shall never be damned: But you may say, Sir, you press us to make haste to keep God's Commandments; so you may, so we have; you make us a Disobedient Congregation; I wish to God you were not. I say to you, have you kept the Commandments of God? What meaneth then the Passion that we see? What meaneth then the Pride that we see? What meaneth then all the Neglects of Prayer in your Families, that we know of? What meaneth then your hardness of Heart, your slighting of Christ? What are the Commandments of God? Is it not that you should repent? Acts 17. 20. Now God Commands all Men every where to Repent: Hast thou kept God's Commandments? What! And not shed one Tear for a Thousand Sins that thou hast Committed? Yet, dost thou say, That thou hast kept the Commandments of God? The Commands of God are, That thou shouldst Believe on Christ; turn and see, 1 John 3. 23. And this is his Commandment, that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus p. 112Christ. Now is Christ kept without door and hast thou kept God's Commandments? Christ kept out of thy Heart? Yet, Have you kept the Commandments of God? O that you would do a… you say! Make hast and delay no longer to keep the Commandments of God.

In hopes that you will, I shall lay before you Ten Things, that will be the Joy of Angels, the Rejoycing of Ministers, and the Content of the Heart of Jesus Christ.

First of all, It is a Blessed and Joyful sight unto Angels, and to Men, to see an Offering God, and a Receiving Sinner, to see a Tendring God, and a Receiving-Sinner. In the Covenant of Grace, you may see God making Offers unto poor Souls, making Tenders unto poor Sinners; yea, making great Offers and Tenders of needful things to the Souls of Men. In the Covenant, God offers thee Grace. God offers thee Peace, God offers thee his Spirit, God offers thee his Son, God offers thee his Kingdom, God offers thee Himself: What shall I p. 113say? God offers thee all that thou needest, and God offers thee all that thou canst eesire. Oh, by this you may see on God's part, an offering and a Tendring God: Ay, but let us see on the other side also, a Receiving and Accepting sinner. Methinks, Sirs, that you should heartily receive what God offers you in the Covenant of Grace; Methinks you should say, O Lord, dost thou offer Grace to me? Ah to me dost thou offer …o less than thy Self, and thy Son and …pirit? Dost thou offer to me? O Lord … could never believe that thou wouldst …ffer any such offers unto me, except I …ad found it in thy Word: O Lord, … will prostrate my self down at thy …ot, thy Spirit I will gladly accept of, and thy Kingdom to be my Portion; …ut some will and some will not, Joh. 1. …1, 12. Jesus Christ, He came unto his …n (offering himself unto them) but his …n received him not, but to as many as did receive him, to them gave he power to be …lled the Sons of God, to as many as believed … his Name.

Secondly, It would be a blessed sight p. 114to see an Inviting and Expostulating God and a Coming, and a Praying, and Weeping Sinner; thus it might be, wh… ever this Covenant is entred into betwixt God and Man; God he calls, a… invites, saying, Sinner, here is Me… for thee, thou art in the way to Dea… and Destruction, that is not the way … Eternal Happiness that thou art going in; turn about, Sinner, and I will, thy God, and I will shew Mercy to the God does not only Invite, but he Plea… and Expostulates the Case with a poor Sinner; Why wilt not thou accept … Mercy? Why wilt thou be so foolish to keep thy Sins? Turn, O Tur… why wilt thou die, O sinful So… This you find in Isa. 55. 1. Oh, every one that Thirsteth, come ye to the Waters; and he that hath no Money, come, y… Buy and Eat; yea come, buy Wine and Milk without Money, and without Price. T… is Gods Invitation, and his Invitatio… are large.

Every one of you that hath but heart to desire, come; every one of you that has but a longing Soul after Merc… p. 115come: And it is made to those that have …o worth nor worthiness in themselves, though you have no Money nor Money-worth, yet come, and you shall have all free; you shall have Christ free, and you shall have Pardon free, and you shall have Heaven free, without price: …t is true, Christ did not obtain these things for Men without price, his Blood was the price to purchase these things; but there is no price for us remains to say; we are called to come, and have all free? What shall we have? There … Wine and Milk; Milk for the needful, and every thing necessary for you. …ut in the second Verse, you have a …leading God: Wherefore do you spend Money for that which is not Bread, and your …abour, for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, incline your Ear and …me unto me. Hearken, God is upon …s Invitation again, Hear, and your Souls …all live? What is all this in order …to? Now, in the Third Verse, …nd I will make an Everlasting Covenant …th you, even the sure Mercies of David. …hat is, I will be your God, and you …all be my People; all the Pleadings p. 116of God with Sinners, is in Order unto this.

Thus in the Covenant, you see an … viting, pleading God; O that now, … the Congregation, we could see a com… and a Praying Sinner? Oh say therefor… whoever thou art that hast stood … against Terms of Mercy all thy day … and wouldst have none of this God … thy God, that never came into thy mi… ever since thou wast born, now f… Now Lord I come, Now Lord, si… thou art pleased to call and Plead w… me, behold, I come according as th… callest.

It would be a lovely sight to see Sinners returning to an inviting God… Jer. 3. 22. Return ye backsliding Childre… and I will heal your back slidings: beh… we come unto thee, for thou art the L… our God. This is the coming of returning Sinners; as God hath pleaded wi thee, so thou must now go and Ple… with God. Oh it is a blessed sight to … a poor Sinner pleading with God, th… has been pleading with him; to … p. 117… Sinner upon his Knees with Sorrow …n his Soul, and Tears in his Eyes, Lord, I am a poor miserable Wretch, a Hell-deserving Wretch, and that many years since might have been cast into Eternal Torments, and this day I might have been amongst deplorable Reprobates; but yet thou hast given me time to seek thy Favour and Mercy: Now Lord, forgive my Sins, and renew my Heart, and Sanctifie me throughout; Now Lord, I call unto thee, that thou wouldest enable me to turn, and enable me to believe.

Thirdly, It would be a sight rejoyCing Angels and Men, to see a waiting God, and a hastning Sinner: Indeed we see every day a patient God, and a long-suffering God, we cannot look upon a grey-headed Sinner, but we do see a patient God in the greyness of his Hairs; we cannot see a person grown up, but this we do see, a patient and a waiting God; but it is but now and then, that we see a hastning Sinner; I mean, not a Sinner hastning to Hell, and hastning to Destruction, and hastning p. 118on the way of Sin: No, these sights a… too common; but a Sinner hastni… towards God, and towards Jesus Christ… Luke 19. 4, 5. Jesus Christ passed b… and looked up to Zacheus on the Tre… and bade him to come down; and i… said, That he made hast and came dow… and followed Christ; God has not o… given thee a Call, Sinner, but he … stood waiting and knocking at the D… of thy Heart; but how long hast th… delayed? Thou hast made many a … Promise, I will Repent, and I will … lieve, and take God for my God; … thou wilt not do it yet; to see any … mong you to be hastning towards Go… while God is waiting upon you; O th… would be a joyful sight indeed! Say, n… Lord, Lord, thou shalt not wait an h… longer upon me.

Fourthly, It would be a joyful fig… to Angels and Men, to see a Promis… God, and a Believing Sinner: If t… were done, the Covenant were made … twixt God and thy Soul; if as G… does Promise, so thou dost believe … Promises, then God would be thy G… p. 119and then thou shouldest be one of his people it the Covenant of Grace. You …o see God, to be a promising God, I will, said God, be merciful to all your …nrighteousness, and I will remember your …niquity or Sins no more; I will put my Laws … your hearts, and cause you to walk in my …ays: And Multitudes of these Promises there are. Thus it was with Abraham, when God came to make the Covenaut with Abraham, Gen. 17. 1, … &c. And when Abram was Ninety years Old and Nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my Covenant between me and thee, and will Multiply thee …cceedingly. And Abram fell on his face, …ad God talked with him, saying, As for …e, Behold my Covenant is with thee, and …ou shalt be a Father of many Nations: …either shall thy Name any more be called Abram, but thy Name shall be called Abraham, for a Father of many Nations have I …ade thee; and I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make Nations of thee, …ad Kings shall come out of thee. And … will Establish my Covenant between p. 120thee and me, and thy seed after th… in their Generation, for an Everlasting Covenant; to be a God unto thee, and unto thy s… after thee. And God said unto Abraha… Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore, th… and thy seed after thee, in their Generation, &c.

You read there of God's coming … Abraham; and says he, I make my Covenant with thee; and in thy seed shall all … Nations of the Earth be Blessed. This … a Promise made to Abraham when … was Ninety and nine Years Old; … there was a Promising God, so th… was a Believing Abraham, Rom, 4. … 19, 20. Who against hope, believed in … that he might become the Father of m… Nations; according to that which was spok… So shall thy Seed be. And being not week… Faith, he considered not his own Body … Dead, when he was about an Hundred Y… Old; nor yet the deadness of Sar… Womb. He staggered not at the Promis… God through unbelief, but was strong … faith, giving glory to God. When a S… is enabled by God to make application of the Promises to himself, … p. 121being certain then that he is a Believing Sinner, answering to a Promising God.

Fifthly, In order to your becoming a Covenant People, and God you. Covenant God, it would be a joyful sight to Men and Angels, to see a Commanding God, and an obeying Sinner. In the Covenant there are Commands as well as Promises, therefore they must be performed as a Duty, as well as participated of as a Priviledge, Deut. 4. 13. He declared unto you his Covenant that he commanded you to perform. This God comes forth with a Commanding Voice, as well as with a Pleading Tendering Voice: Now, as there is a Commanding God, so if there were amongst you an obeying Sinner, then the Covenant would be fulfilled, Rom. 11. 8. By Faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after recieve for an Inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. God called him from his Friends, and from his family, and he knew not whether he was to go; yet, he obeyed God. But God has told you the place whither p. 122you shall go, yet you will not follow him; God has told you, that Heaven shal… be the Place, an Everlasting Kingdom… you shall have Mansions above in Blis… and Glory shall be the Place that Go… will lead you to, yet you will not obe… God.

Sixthly, To see a Threatning God… and a Trembling Sinner; is a very delightful sight: Not in it self indeed desirable, but in order to your closing with God upon Covenant-terms; for … God does invite a Sinner to take him f… his God, and does wait upon him, a… does Promise him Heaven, if he wi… and as God commands him, to ta… him for his God, so God does threat… Man too very severely, if he will … come up to Covenant-Terms. H… frequent are these in the Gospel! … that believeth not, is Condemned already Except ye repent ye shall Perish. Without … liness no man shall see the Lord. Except it be to be his Eternal Sorrow.

You may see a Threatning God … those that will not perform his Covenant, p. 123Levit. 26. 11, 12. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you, and my Soul shall not abhor you, and I will walk amongst you, and will be your God and ye shall be my People.

Well, but what if Men will not, is there any danger to a Sinner if he will not take God for his God? Ay, that there …s vers. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Of that Chapter; But if he will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these Commandments; and if you shall dispise my Statutes, or if your Soul abhor my Judgments, so that …e will not do all my Commandments, but …at ye break my Covenant, I also will do …is unto you; I will even appoint over you …error, Consumption, and burning-Agues, …at shall consume the Eyes, and cause sorrow of Heart, and ye shall sow your Seed in …ain, for your Enemies shall eat it; and I …ill set my Face against you, and ye shall … slain before your Enemies; they that hate … shall Reign over you, and ye shall flee …en none pursueth you; and if ye will …t for all this hearken unto me, then I will …nish you seven times more for your sins; … God goes on in many Verses; but p. 124is there any likelihood that a Sinne… will take God for his God till he do… tremble before this Threatning God… Thy Conscience is sear'd, thou make… nothing to come up to Covenant terms… but where God Threatens, and th… Soul Trembles, then it is a sign th… that Man will be brought into Covena… with God.

Seventhly, It is a Blessed Sight, rejoycing Angels and Men, to see a Bleeding Christ, and a Weeping Sinner. … the Covenant of Grace, you may see t… one Bleeding Christ; for Christ B… to Confirm the Covenant betwixt G… and Man. He is the Mediator of t… Govenant, and the Surety of the Covenant… and the Blood of Christ, it is the Blood … the Everlasting Covenant; so that … the one side, you may see, a Bleedi… Christ; but where is the Weepi… Sinner? Where is the broken He… ted Sinner? Where is the Contr… and the Bleeding Sinner? Could … but see this, then the Work w… done, God were thy God then, … thou one of his People, Zech. 12. … p. 125And I will pour upon the House of David, and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication, and they shall look upon me, whom they have Pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one Mourneth for his onelyonly Son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his First-born. Look O my Soul, and see how thy Sins have Pierced the Lord Jesus Christ, till his very Heart-Blood poured forth. Oh, that he should become a Curse for me! That he should Die, that I might Live! Oh was there ever such Love, and was there ever such Grace! Oh could we but see this, a Weeping Sinner answerable to a Bleeding Christ, and the Match would be made, God would be thy God, and thou one of his People.

Eighthly, It would be a Blessed sight, to see a striving Spirit, and a yielding Sinner; and this it must be, if ever God becomes your God, and you his People. There must be both of these, a striving Spirit moving upon thy Heart, that must solicit thee for thy p. 126love and be wooing thee for thy consent, to take God for thy God. Thi… the Spirit of God oftentimes doe… thou hast felt him knocking at th… Heart, moving upon thy Soul at … Sermon, Saying Sinner, open; O Sinner, thy Danger is great, if thou goes on in thy Sins. The Spirit has bee so powerful upon thy Heart, that i… has brought thee almost to resolve; b… if thou wilt have this God for th… God, thou must yeild when the Spirit strives.

Ninthly, It is a Blessed sight to see… Preaching Minister, and a serious an… a hearking Sinner. This is as th… means appointed by God, to bring Sinners into Covenant with God; therefore Ministers are Ambassadors for God… we stand in Christ's room, and in Christ… stead, to propose the terms of peace b… twixt God and Man; therefore to s… hearkning Sinners as if they had a min… to have God for their God, is a Blesse… sight? See Acts 10. 32, 33, 34. Se… therefore to Joppa, and call hither Sermon, whose Sir-name is Peter; he is lodg… p. 127in the House of Simon a Tanner, by the Sea side, who when he cometh, shall speak unto thee: Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter opened his Mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. See, People set themselves as in the sight of God under a Sermon: And, what was it that Peter did Preach? Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant.

Tenthly, and Lastly, which is the Fruit of all; It is a Blessed sight to see a Heaven prepared and a Sinner Saved. This is the fruit of the Covenant, in your taking God for your God and your becoming his People. This sight we shall see, at the coming of our Lord, a Heaven prepared we shall see; Ay, and see Sinners Saved, see Multitudes go in; This we shall see, as the Fruit of this Covenant, Matth. 25. 34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye Blessed of my Father, Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before p. 128the Foundation of the World. Now my Advice to you all is, That you would take this God to be your God, and give up your selves unfeignedly to be the People of this God; or woe be to the Sinner, if there be a God, but none of thine; if there be a Blessed God, but thou hast no Interest in him.

Now therefore for God's sake Sinner, for God's sake, and for thine own Souls sake, let me beseech thee, and intreat thee, as ever thou wilt find Mercy at the hand of God another day, come and take this God for thy God; come Sinner, come, as yet, it is not too late; as yet; Mercy may be had, and as yet, Grace may be found; while the day of Mercy lasts, and while the day of thy Life lasts, come in this Instant, and turn not thy Back and say, For all this I will keep my Sins still.

Consider this. If thou wilt not have God for thy God, thou wilt be Condemned by the Covenant of Works, p. 129and thou wilt not be condemned by the Covenant of Grace. Think of this, thou art Condemned by the Covenant of Works, Gal. 3. 10. For as many as are of the Works of the Law, are under the Curse; for it is Written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are Written in the Book of the Law to do them. Here is thy Doom, Cursed is every one, Man, Woman, and Child, every one, Bond and Free, Master and Servant, Husband and Wife; that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law, to do them. Hast thou done so? Hast thou continued in all things? No, not in one thing. Then you see that you are Condemned by the Covenant of Works: What is thy Cure then? O the Covenant of Grace must help me: Ay, but thou art condemned there too, John 3. 18. He that believeth on him, is not Condemned; (but) Ay, but there is a but come; but he that believeth not, is Condemned already. For what? What, Because he hath broken the Covenant of Works? No, the Law Condemns him for that, for the Breach of God's Commands, and for p. 130the Covenant of Works. What then? because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God The Covenant of Works, that will condemn you for not performing: and the Covenant of Grace, that will condemn you for not Believing.

O methinks, I am loth to leave you, till I see some or other strike Covenant with God and say, O I see I must take God for my God, or else, I am lost and undone, and that for ever; I am accursed by the Covenant of Works, and by the Covenant of Grace; the one for not Obeying, and the other for not Believing. It is in vain for us to flatter you, you must have this God for your Govenant God, or else you will come under the Power … the Second Death: Temporal Death were nothing, if Death Eternal did not follow. See what follows Death Revel. 6. 8. I looked and behold, a P… Horse; and his Name that sate on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. Ah there it is! There is the Thin… that makes Death Terrible! Indeed … p. 131Sinner, Death e're long will get upon his pale Horse, and will be Riding swiftly towards thee; Ay, but Hell follows after; Were it not for this, Death were nothing; but Damnation follows after Death; and it will be the case of every one that will not take God for their God.

Let us a little Consider, what is in this Eternal Death, before you take God to be your God. I hope I shall work upon some of your Hearts.

Consider, therefore, There are Two Things in this Eternal Death, and both of them exceeding Dreadful.

I. Exclusion from the Blessed God; Ah Sinner, as sure as thou hearest my Voice, wilt thou be shut out, and excluded from the Blessed God, and Blessed Christ, and Blessed Angels, and Blessed Saints, if thou dost not take God for thy God, Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me ye Cursed; from me, from the Blessed Jesu; Oh! How miserable must that Man be that must be sent p. 132packing away from the Blessed Jesus. This is the Punishment of Loss; but if it were the loss of thy Pleasures only, and the loss of thy Friends only, this were nothing: Ah, but what things wilt thou lose, if thou diest before God and thy Soul agree? It will be the loss of a Loving God, the loss of a Blessed Redeemer; This will be thy loss, and thou hadst better lose Ten Thousand Worlds than this one God. And if thou art not in Covenant with God, then

1. Thou wilt lose thy Soul. The loss of a Soul, What shall it profit a Man, if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? It is not a small matter that thou maist lose, if God gain not thy consent, but it is a Soul.

Consider, It is thy own Soul, Sinner, that will be lost, if thou wilt not consent to take God for thy God. I would not be guilty of the Damnation of another Man's Soul for all the World. Tell me Sinner, Wouldst thou ruine another Man's Soul? Then why wilt thou ruine thy own? Whose Soul wilt thou mind if not thine own? And whose Soul wil… thou take care of if not thy own?

p. 1333. If so be thou dost not take God for thy God, thou wilt lose thy only Soul. Ah poor Sinner, Hast thou but one only Soul that must be Damned or Saved, and wilt not thou take care for thy own Soul?

Oh take care and see to it, it is thy only Soul. Sirs, God has given to us every one but one only Soul, lose that, and thou losest all; if that be Damn'd all is Damn'd. Methinks, the thoughts of this should move thee to remember thy Darling, to remember thy only Soul, that when thou hast but one thou mayst secure the happiness of that one. In the Body God gives us many parts by pairs, Two Eyes, that if we lose one, we may see by the other; Two Ears, Two Hands, two Feet, that if we lose one, we may have the benefit of the other; but God has given Men but one only Soul.

4. It will be the loss of thy precious and immortal Soul. Were it the loss of a mortal Soul that should die, and cease to be, it could not be so much; but when it shall be the loss of an Immortal Soul, that cannot die, that cannot cease to be, this makes your Punishment the more, that will not come up to the terms of the Covenant. That is the First.

p. 134II. In the Eternal Death, is the Punishment of Sense. All manner of Pain and Torments that a just and Angry God can lay upon thee to all Eternity. If you are willing to take this God upon Covenant terms, he will make you happy; But if you will not, know to your Faces, this Day. That the Eternal God will Plague you for ever, will be thy Avenger and Punisher for ever. Consider the Names by which that Place is called, where all that die without God, must be cast into, I will name but four or five of them, and those briefly.

1. If thou diest without God being thy God thou must to Prison, as sure as thou standest here; so this Place is called, 1 Pet. 3. 19. There by the Prison you read of, is meant the Place of Hell, and the Place of the Damned.

2. Every one that Dies before God is his Covenant God, must be cast into a place of Darkness, into a place of utter Darkness, Matth. 8. 12. The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast into utter Darkness.

3. Every Soul that goes out of this World before God be his God, shall be cast into a Lake of burning Brimstone, Rev. 21. 8.

4. Every Soul that leaves this World p. 135before God be his God in Covenant, will be cast into a Furnace of Fire, Matth. 13. 42. Where you see Hell is set forth by a Furnace of Fire.

5. Lastly, It is indeed a Place of Torment, Luk. 16. 28. Says the Rich Man there, O send to my Brethren, and tell them what I endure, that they may not come to this place of Torment. O have mercy on me, for I am Tormented Day and Night. Now what is this, for which you must be cast into such Torments? What for, For refusing of God?

Why art thou so loth, Sinner why, to take this God for thy God? Why, will he do thee any hurt? Besides, I might have shewn how, that Four Things will make your case exceeding woful? for fain I would prevail, though it were but with One or Two, to come over to God, and that will say; O Sir, I come with all my heart, to take this God for my God.

First of all, If thou wilt not, thy Pains will be Universal Pains, all over thy Body, and all over thy Soul, no part of thy Body free, no part of thy Soul free; hereafter in Hell, Eyes, and Head, and Heart, and all the Pains of Hell shall be p. 136Universal, every part sinned, and every part shall Suffer.

Secondly, They shall be extream too, Sinner, If thou wilt refuse this God to be thy God, he will inflict upon thee extremity of Pain: Now to have Pain all over, and to be all over in extremity, What a sad case is this?

Thirdly, Then they must be continual, without intermission; not sometimes in Pain, and sometimes at ease; No, no, this is not the Case of the Damned; no, there is no intermission, not for an hour, not for one moment in Hell: If so be you have a pain on your Body, for an hour or two, or in the night, and in the morning you have ease, what a refreshment is that? But for a Person to lie under the Pain of Gout or Stone, and Night and Day cryeth out, no ease no mitigation, not an hours rest all Night long: O consider, what it will be, not to have an hours rest to all Eternity, not the least intermission!

Fourthly, As it shall have no intermission, so it shall have no cessation. If it were Pain to continue for a Thousand Years, without an Hours Rest between, yea a thousand to that, and a thousand to p. 137that, it would be happy Tydings; but those that will not have God for their God, they must have Pain without ease, and without intermission, and that for ever.

But, for one Thing more. Besides all this, Sirs, if you will not have this God for your God, your Covenant God, you will have something to Torment you in Hell, that Thousands of others never shall.

Shall I tell you, Beloved Hearers, shall I tell you, you will have something …o Torment you, that Devils shall not …ave. I say, something lie heavier on you, than upon Devils; something to Torment you, that the Heathens have not to Torment them: What is that? O it is the gnawings of a never-dying Worm, for the refusing of an offered Christ, of Mercy, while Mercy may be …ad. When you shall lie in Hell, if God …es not prevent you, What will be the …hawings of thy Conscience?

Methinks, I hear poor Damn'd wretches …at have sat under the Gospel, accusing themselves after this manner; It was … the breach of the Covenant of VVorks that …m in this Place; but I might have had p. 138help in the Covenant of Grace; God was offered unto me, and Christ was offered unto me, Ministers Pleaded with me day after day; but said Conscience, this thou would… not do, thou saidst No, to thy dying da… Had I accepted of Mercy, while Mercy might have been had, I need not have come into this place of Torment: But alas, wo… me, the Devils above me, never slighted s… Mercy as I have done! Wo is me, the Thousand of Heathens that are above me, never slighted such Mercy as I have done: a Saviour was never offered to Devils; a Saviour was never Preached to the Heathens; But like a Miserable Wreteh now, like a Damn… Wretch now, might have had mercy, but wo… not: I might have escaped this Place, … would not: Wo is me, now I am lost for ever Wo is me, now I am Damned for ever! … Praying time is gone over! I might have … God to have been my God once, but now … will never be offered to me any more.

Thus look to it, it will be worse w… you than with Devils and with Heath… if you refuse to take God for your G… and you give not up your selves to his People.